THE council has promised to reimburse traders after they were forced to suddenly and unceremoniously cancel the Christmas market at the last minute due to dangerous weather.
Storm Darragh battered the nation last weekend, bringing blistering colds and winds of up to 43mph to Barnsley.
The scheduled Christmas market in Barnsley was cancelled on both Saturday and Sunday due to safety concerns.
It’s the second year a Christmas market has been held in the town centre, after a successful launch last year when 127,501 visitors explored the stalls outside the Glass Works over four-day event.
Traders had invested heavily in supplies ahead of what was meant to be an incredibly profitable weekend this year, with many now stuck with stock they are simply unable to shift.
Plenty have moved their wares online to try and recoup some losses, with fresh food and baked goods sales people attempting to quickly auction off their products before they pass their sell-by date.
Now the council have agreed to reimburse pitch hire fees as a way of helping these small businesses stay afloat.
Coun Robin Franklin, cabinet spokesperson for regeneration and culture at Barnsley Council, said: “We were extremely disappointed that we had to take the necessary decision to close Barnsley Christmas Market last weekend due to Storm Darragh, like many other events and markets across the UK.
“This decision was not made lightly, but the safety of staff, traders, and the public remains our priority.
“The event was planned over several months, and the first two days saw a significant number of visitors to the town centre.
“We continuously monitored the weather, which enabled us to keep the market open on Friday night and be enjoyed by visitors.
“We know the closure will have affected traders, and we are working to reimburse them for pitch hire fees for those days.
“Despite the closure of the Christmas market, the indoor events taking place across the town centre were well attended, including Barnsley Indoor Market and Young Trader Market, the Christmas at the Town Hall event and the Community Toy Swap at Experience Barnsley.
“On Saturday, the town also welcomed hundreds of coach visitors from East Yorkshire, Huddersfield, Castleford and Manchester.”
